The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for redistributing the weight of a vehicle over its front wheels as it negotiates a turn, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for substantially equalizing weight distribution on the front wheels of a vehicle, especially, the front wheels of a racing vehicle, as it negotiates a turn.
Many racing vehicles, especially those of the quarter midget class customarily race on an oval track in a counterclockwise direction. Thus they are continuously turning to the left under race conditions and are not called upon to turn to the right. As such a vehicle enters and negotiates a turn, centrifugal and other turning forces acting upon the vehicle and especially upon the front wheels of the vehicle twist the frame and suspension system, causing more of the weight of the vehicle to be concentrated on the right front wheel than remains on the left front wheel. When the vehicle is traveling at a high rate of speed, the frame and suspension system often distort to such an extent that the left front tire, that is, the inside tire in a left hand turn is lifted completely off the track. When the weight of the vehicle resides mostly on the outside wheel and little or none resides on the inside wheel, a loss of turning traction is experienced. The consequent reduction in traction requires the driver of the racing vehicle to slow down while negotiating the turn, thus wasting valuable race time.
It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for increasing and maximizing the traction on the front wheels of a vehicle while it is negotiating a turn. It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for maintaining both front tires on the ground while a vehicle negotiates a turn at a high rate of speed. It is a further object of the present invention to evenly distribute the weight of the vehicle over the front wheels so as to maximize the available turning capability as the vehicle negotiates a turn.